The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-20
BIRD BELIEFS.
Omens and Superstittons
About the Feathered Tribe.
Queer Notions That Exist Ooncs rning Dif-
ferent Birds the World Over.

In Saintonge they believe the goat
sucker incubates its eggs by merely look
ing at them, while the tradition that
this bird sucks the goat is pretty widely
spread.
They say in Normandy that the
misscl thrush speaks seven languages,
and in Langucdoc the shepherd who
kills wag-tail will shortly witness the
death Of the finest sheep in his flock.
The reputation of all night birds, great
Or small, is not good; but southern
imagination has discovered remedy for
all their spells, which consists of throw
ing pinch Of salt into the fire as soon
as their sound is heard.
Could anyone suppose the joyous lit
tic songster, the fnch-notably the
chaffinch in the list of birds of ILL
omen2 But in the French province of
Maine and Ansoumois, if he perchcs OIL
the window-sill it indicates treachcry.
The blackb;rd Which crosses your
road brings you good luck. The inhabi-
tants of Solungc say that If this bird does
not live to an old age j. is on account Of
the habit he has Of perking up his tail to
the wind, another example of the fatal
influence of currents of air.
In the south of Germany the crow be-
speaks good luck, but, in France, any
thing but that if seen in the morning.
The same with the magpie-ill-lucl ii
it flies on your left; il, on the contrary,
on the right, you may be assured that
the day will be fortunate one.
1fyou have money in your pocket the
.. day you hear the cuckoo for the first
time it's good omen, and you will hav,
your pockets well lined with money dur
ing the year; if, on the contrary, you
have no money, try and fattcr your
friends, for you may b, in need of their
assistance before long.
In France the handsome white owl,
with its beautiful plumage, is accepted,
everywhere as forerunner of DEATH
AS if that were not enough to draw upon
if the animadversion Of all, this bird if
often accused of sacrlege--for in Pro-
vcncc and Langucdoc it is charged with
drinking the oil of tue church lamps.
1t was the wren which aided Pro-
mctheus in stealing the sacred fire Of
knowledge from beneath Jovc's throne
in heaven. Accordingly, he who kills q.
wren will have his house destroyed; he
who robs its nest OF the eggs will be the
cause of cracks and chaps on the feet of
cattle, or his own fnger-ends will be-.
come horney and his skin parched and
cracked, =
Among the negroes the moaning-dove
means to save mans soul. To kill one;
Of these doves is sign Of death-maybe
OF the killers own death, but more frc-
quently OF the death of child. A buz.
zard or q crow on housctop is believed
by the same people to be an invariablc.
gn of death or disaster; visit at the
door from a rooster, the approaching
visit of friend; the noise of the scrccch-..
owl, or, "shivering" owl, is bad omen
of many interpretations; while, if the
common owl boots on your right, good
luck will follow, but bad luck should he
take up his position on the left and hoot
thercfrom. .....
Are you dcsrous to obtain grass that;
cuts wood and iron or the stone thai:
cures blindness2 In the first place, stop
up with strong pig the hole in which
the green woodpcck:r his her youngI
in the second place, cover over with
wire the nest of tho magpie. In both
cases spread out a piece of red Goth at
the foot of the trJc,. Tie next day YOU
will find these two msrvels left by the
birds, and with which they made use to-
effect an entry in their respective nests.
The third case, the cure for blindness. is
more cruel; but people are not very fas'
tidious when the object is to obtain such
treasure. Put out the eyes of one OF
the nestlings and the mother will fly to
the seashore and gather the marvellous
sand, which you will find in the nest
next morning. g.-[Cnicaso News.